25
years together is a long time if you ain’t smiling…..good thing we don’t have
THAT problem. Smiles? Who wouldn't think this work is fun?; TV, rock festivals,
radio, bluegrass festivals, dance camps, world music festivals, weddings,
traditional music festivals, concerts, alternative music festivals. Get the
idea… the festive lifestyle compliments the smile. So, wherever STEW goes the
familiar faces are returning the peace and love as the goal in the STEW
offering. Since 25+ years can only be attained through the closest of
friendship, growing up together has lent to only one disappointing
observation... the Stews used to hang with a much
younger crowd! This recording was made “live” at Squirrel Sound Studio in
Morgantown, WV, and is lovingly dedicated to all of our families, friends,
dancers, and the West Virginia family of musicians……peace and plenty to us all!

4. Greasy Coat LISTEN NOW
Another traditional fiddle tune we picked up at one of those all-night festival
jam sessions.

5. Buck Mountain/Rock The Cradle Joe
Playing for dances means playing the same song for 15-20 minutes…..these are 2
songs we jam together to keep it fun for us.

6. Hangman’s Reel
A 4-part fiddle tune……not suitable for all dances, but fun to play.

7. June Apple
Another traditional fiddle tune we’ve been playing for years.

8. Now I know It’s You
Written by Jay Saul, originally done by Rural, a seminal country-rock band from
Iowa in the 70’s.

9. Stepping On A Cat’s Tail
A Keith Ross original dance tune

10. The Best Part Of Fishing
A Stump song about one of his favorite pastimes……and it ain’t catching them!

11. Growling Old Man, Grumbling Old Woman
The “A” part is the old man, the “B” part is the old woman.

12. Police Come LISTEN NOW
Before you call Homeland Security on us, we didn’t write this one…..in fact, we
toned it down a little. A Depression Era tune about one man’s trouble with the
law and life.

13. Sandy Boys
Our interpretation of a Randolph County, West Virginia fiddle tune that dates
from the 1800’s and we learned in Malibu, California - that’s how the Folk
Process works. We use fiddle sticks on this version.

14. Tam Lin LISTEN NOW
Our version of a traditional British Isles fiddle tune…..and yes, we know it
speeds up towards the end…..it’s kind of a prank we pull on dancers.

15. Live and Howl
An old Ralph Rinzler tune that’s become a theme song for the Stews over the
years. The “real” title is “Old Coot From Tennessee” and we came to learn much
later that the chorus is “I’m gonna live anyhow until I die” but the scratchy
old 78 LP we learned it from made it sound like “I’m gonna live and howl until I
die” which seemed to fit us much better …….and that’s how the folk process
works!

16. Mannington #9 LISTEN NOW
A Keith McManus original about the mine disaster at the Mannington, West
Virginia #9 Mine in 1968. As long as there is coal mining there will be
disasters.